Kristopher Letang made National Hockey League (NHL) history in many ways with a six-assist game for the Pittsburgh Penguins on Wednesday night.
By setting new standards for speed, thanks largely to five assists in the second half, he joined a select group of offensive defensemen from Quebec and elsewhere.
• Also read: Kristopher Letang didn't know he had broken a record
• Also read: Kristopher Letang sets impressive NHL record
Here are six notable plays for defenders who like to attack.
Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency
– Paul Coffey, two goals and six assists
In all of NHL history, there have been 14 eight-point games by a single player, including two by defensemen. It surprises no one to see Paul Coffey's name at the top of the list; He was on his way to his personal best of 48 goals and 138 points in 1985–1986. The offensive guard made life difficult for the Detroit Red Wings on March 14th with a 12-3 win. Wayne Gretzky and Glenn Anderson were also not left out with five points each.
– Tom Bladon, four goals and four assists
But who is Tom Bladon, you ask? He is the other defenseman to record an eight-point game on December 11, 1977. Much less well known than Coffey, the Philadelphia Flyers player was playing the game of his life against the weak Cleveland Barons. Not only did he score four goals and as many assists, but he also finished that 11-1 win with a differential of +10, an all-time record. You're probably thinking that Bladon has had a nice haul of points this season… Not really, as he scored 11 goals and 24 assists in 79 duels.
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-Sheldon Souray, one goal and five assists
It had been nearly 20 years since a defenseman hadn't put up six points in the same game since Letang was none other than Sheldon Souray on January 10, 2004, the last time he did so. A few days after he scored a trick On December 18, 2004, the Montreal Canadiens put on another show with a six-point lead over the poor Penguins and an 8-0 victory. The Albertan gave it his all around the holidays, as he then experienced a nine-game slump.
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-Kevin Lowe, one goal and five assists
While Gretzky, Mark Messier, Jari Kurri and the other Edmonton Oilers forwards had fun on offense in the 1980s, Kevin Lowe was the cornerstone of the team's defense. The Lachute native's personal best is 46 points, but he stepped out of Coffey's shadow for just one evening. On February 19, 1983, Lowe scored a goal and added five assists against the Penguins. This performance even surpassed Gretzky's 50th goal of the season and Ken Linseman's hat trick.
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-Raymond Bourque, one goal and five assists
In the middle of his legendary career, Raymond Bourque had his most productive game, scoring six points. The Montrealer was involved in all but one of the Boston Bruins' goals in their 7-2 victory over the Vancouver Canucks in February 1990. With a rate of two points per game period, he put the icing on the cake with a power play goal in the middle of the period. Two other times he collected five points in a game.
-Ian Turnbull, five goals
Montrealer Ian Turnbull had a special talent during his playing career: he ran to the net excessively, but not very often. He had two hat-tricks during his less than ten years in the National League. He scored four goals with the Los Angeles Kings in December 1981, but he had done better three years earlier. In February 1977, Turnbull scored five goals in a 9-1 win over the Toronto Maple Leafs. Should we remember that he only hit the net five times in that game against the Red Wings? Not bad for a defender who has only surpassed the 20-goal mark twice.